Quick question: if a scammer was trying to pull off a con on two groups of people, one aged 13-21, and one aged 55+, which group would be more likely to fall for the scam? If you’d guess the group aged 55+, you may want to think again. Yes, older adults are a more vulnerable group that is also sometimes …
It’s tax season, and scammers are working overtime to get your money. Tax scams are as varied as they are common, but when you know what to look for, you can beat fraudsters at their game and keep them from getting your money and your information. If you hear or see any of the following 12 lines this tax season, …
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a wave of scams, with no signs of slowing down. These scams are also producing a surge of counterfeit bills into circulation. Using cutting-edge technology, scammers create bills that look just like the real thing to the untrained eye. Unfortunately, once counterfeit bills are passed, their new owner can become liable for passing …
We have answered all your questions about the 2020 census! Every 10 years, the Census Bureau makes an effort to count every person living in the U.S. Though the process won’t start until mid-March 2020, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is already warning of scammers exploiting the process to con you out of your sensitive information. That’s why it’s important …
One of the oldest holiday scams, which is even more prevalent in the age of the internet, is the letter from Santa scam. Here’s all you need to know about this Christmas-themed scheme. How it plays out In this ruse, scammers set up bogus websites where parents can order legitimate-looking letters from Santa for their children. The cost is less …
Payday loan scams may seem like old news, but they’re more common than ever. In fact, in 2018, the FTC paid a total of $505 million to more than one million victims of payday loan scams. In this scam, a caller claiming to represent a collection agency who is acting on behalf of a loan company tells victims they must …
Tech support scams are some of the evilest forms of hacks. In these scams, fraudsters contact victims and trick them into granting the scammer access to their computers. The crooks may reach out to people through a phone call. They’ll insist that the victims have a virus or another problem they’ve somehow detected from the company’s headquarters. Or, they’ll send …
Let’s explore when and how to use your debit card. How do you pay for your purchases? It may be instinct for you to pull out any piece of plastic without thinking, but your random card of choice might not be the safest way to pay. Credit and debit: How are they different? Appearances aside, your credit and debit cards …
A loan scam will target people who are in dire straits and who will do anything to get their hands on some cash. Once a loan scam has snagged a victim, they will have the borrower fill out an “application” with sensitive and personal information. The scammer will use the victim’s information to hack their accounts. Arm yourself with knowledge …
